Press TV said Iran on May 5 (local time) officially began operating the new maritime traffic management system for the strait. Under the system, ships seeking to pass through must receive guidance on transit rules and procedures, adjust their sailing plans accordingly, and obtain advance clearance, the broadcaster said. It added that the system is now in operation.
Reuters, citing Press TV, reported the same day that Iran has set up the new framework to manage ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters said Iran warned the U.S. Navy to refrain from approaching the strait and said commercial vessels must transit in coordination with Iran’s military. It also reported that Iran presented a new map of the strait showing an expanded area of Iranian-controlled waters.
The move had been signaled earlier inside Iran. Press TV reported that on May 3, Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, said a new law setting conditions for passage through the Strait of Hormuz would go through parliamentary approval.
Nikzad was quoted as saying, “Israeli ships will not be allowed to pass under any circumstances, and permits will not be issued to hostile countries such as the United States.” He said other vessels would also have to meet passage conditions under the law to be approved by parliament.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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